The Siren's Song
by The True Myth
Summary: When Derek Hale moves far from his home town to a small town named Beacon, he moves into an old light house by the sea, hoping to find peace and quiet from the turmoil in his mind. He doesn't realize that he is being watched, not just by the town, but by the creature that lurks deep in the waters of the sea. Sterek Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski siren au


_Taken from the tumblr prompt by midnightitsquiet "Derek likes his life at the lifehouse. He is mostly alone with his thoughts, but that is how he wants it. Until one day he finds a boy on the rocks by the shore… and Stiles… well Stiles has always been too curious for his own good."_

 _While this story does not use the mythological sirens, the head of a woman and body of a bird, the siren name is used. The look of it is of a mermaid, but the word siren comes from Greek myth of a bird with the head of a woman whose song is so alluring that they lure sailors to their deaths in the rocky sea._

 _The siren will not be mentioned by name often, and Derek does give him the name Stiles._

 _ **SIRENS ARE A BIT DIFFERENT IN THIS AU; they lure people in, but they also can protect. Stiles singles Derek out and wants to protect him. A siren, unlike a mermaid, can have human legs, and can walk among people, but this does not happen often because they can only remain on land for a short amount of time. They can change their shape, and so can have human legs.**_

 _Malia does play a bigger role in this than I intended, and it may seem slightly romantic but they see one another as siblings._

 _This story takes place in the 50's/ early 60's._

 _I do not own most of the characters used, but there will be small original characters for filler._

 **IF YOU'D LIKE TO LISTEN TO THE SONGS THAT INSPIRED THIS FIC, I WILL LINK THE PLAYLIST HERE**

 _: playlist?list=PLo35j_t9QY5ItiM_CI7xLWxRWK2tq4bPe_

 _Enjoy_

He watched the waves crash against the rocks from his spot by the bay window, watching the land meet the waters with a wistful eye. He rather enjoyed his silence, after the passing of his family by the hand of a woman he had loved he found silence, solitude to be his only comfort.

He often took solace in walking the rocky shore, occasionally finding a seashell and bringing it home to decorate his simple home. He could tell by the tide that a storm was picking up. The darkness of the sky only continued that thought. He almost feared to go out there.

Derek Hale wrapped his jacket tightly around himself, leaving his key on the kitchen table he ate at alone. His loneliness was his gift and his curse, one he knew all too well he would never be rid of. He watched the world from behind a pane of glass, letting out a sigh of content and sadness.

He had stolen away from his former home that had been burned to the ground, unable to stay a moment longer. He found refuge in a small fishermen's town on the edge of the sea called Beacon Hills. It was an unknown town, small and yet perfect for his needs. He needed to get away, needed to hide.

His things were unpacked mostly, some still sitting in the few boxes he had. He couldn't truly bring himself to care, no one would ever come to his home to care if he was fully packed. He watched the murky waters as he sipped his hot tea. This was the relaxing scenery he knew that he needed. This was the change he had craved. He watched the slow light of the lighthouse ran across the waves and for the first time in many months, he felt calmed.

As he fell asleep that night, he dreamed of singing.

The third day after his arrival, he realized he needed to gather supplies to survive in the lighthouse by the sea. He had no car to take him the two miles to the town, but the walk wouldn't bother him. The day was foggy, murky and dark just as every day had been before that and he figured it would continue to be that way. He had never heard of the small town having much sunlight.

He walked to the store, his hands shoved deep within his pockets. He watched the members of the community as they glanced his way, curious as to who this was, why he was here. He shrugged it off, figuring that these people's lives were so boring that they needed something to gossip about, and a new member of their sleepy little town was surly topic to speak of. He gathered what he needed, making sure to make his trip as quick as possible. He felt vastly uncomfortable in this store with all these unfamiliar faces. He had been alone for so long now without his family by his side that these new people were making him nervous. He took a soft breath, shaking his head before he went to the front to pay.

As he exited the store, a man approached him, tapping his shoulder. Derek flinched and turned, he had not expected to be spoken to.

The man was older, much older than Derek's youthful age of twenty-two. He wore a long yellow coat and a fishermen's hat, a grey beard coating his face. He rose a brow inspecting Derek from the front.

"You're new around here." He mused, looking at the load of Derek's grocery bags. "Whole town's buzzing 'bout you." He watched Derek's expression with great care. Derek simply nodded, unsure about the point of the conversation. "You're the kid who bought the lighthouse?" Derek nodded once more. The man smiled.

"Yes, I am." Derek said. "And I'd like to get back, I have a lot of work to do." He turned to walk away before the man grabbed his shoulder. Derek almost growled, people in this town were far too friendly and touchy for his liking.

"That's over two miles away, and you don't seem to have a car, my boy." He said. "Why don't you humor and old man, let me give you a lift back to the lighthouse?" he asked. Derek had to admit the offer of not walking sounded nice, but he had only come into town for food and building supplies, he hadn't been expecting to socialize, but that was the price he paid for coming to such a small and close community. Derek sighed, the bags on his muscular arms were getting slightly heavy and if he hoped to get any work done today he didn't really need to carry them the entire way.

"I don't even know your name." He said calmly, watching the elder man.

"You'll learn everyone's name soon enough, kid." The man smirked, offering his hand but retracting when he saw Derek's full arms. "The name is Harris. I used to fish big game up by that lighthouse." Derek nodded, casting his gaze to the hand to at least show he saw it.

"I suppose I can't really turn down a free ride, now can I?" He offered a shy smile. He truly did want to try to build a life for himself. He couldn't bring himself to trust these people and didn't think he ever would, but at the very least he wanted to try. He was tired of being alone. He felt as if he owed his deceased family that much, to try and have a normal life until they saw one another again.

Derek later found out his name was Harris, and he was a kind old man who could talk until the world crashed. He found that he enjoyed it though, the softness of his voice.

He invited the older man into his new home for coffee, which Harris gladly took him up on that. As the man held tight onto the ceramic mug, he watched the waves crashing outside the windows curiously. He watched as something swam out there in the grey fog of the afternoon. The sun never shone in Beacon, he never noticed it, and it never bothered him.

He turned to Derek as the lone man packed his groceries away. He sighed. "Before she passed, my wife and I used to come down to this beach. We walked it quite a lot." He smiled sadly. "We started coming right after our wedding, we camped down near the water and she became fascinated by it. I always would ask her why and she said the singing. She swore up and down to high heaven that she heard singing at night." He laughed, they had moved down to a villa by the sea, his wife needing to hear the song to sleep. He never heard it, perhaps he wasn't listening.

Derek furrowed his brow. "You said singing?" He asked. Every night since he arrived, he could have sworn he heard singing too. When the rain fell harshly, he heard it the clearest. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. It sounded so distant, so sad. He was drawn to it. Harris gave a small nod, watching the newcomer.  
"She said it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, she drowned twenty years ago." He sighed.  
"I'm sorry to hear that." Derek apologized, it must have been hard for Harris to lose her. "Accidents like that are hard to move on from." He meant only to comfort, but the look of anger on Harris' face was enough to surprise him.

"It wasn't an accident boy." He said sternly. "My wife was taken by that devil that lives in the water. She was one of many." Derek furrowed his brow.

"The devil-?" He asked, cocking his head. Harris let out a sigh of sadness, but also of anger.

"There is a legend in this town, one that's been around longer than myself or anyone else here." He explained, sitting down by the table. "There's a creature out in that water Derek, it lures people down with a song so beautiful. My wife…" he trailed off, Derek watched him carefully. "It takes lives without a care in the world. Every night she would stay up until she couldn't any more, listening to that god damn song!" He growled. "One morning I woke up to the door open and her foot prints in the sand. That thing took her."

Derek nodded, this man clearly was still in the process of grieving to think up a story like that. Harris wasn't done yet though. "Every death in this town, you look at it! A good majority are from drowning. Now we don't have many people who want to die here, or anyone who can't swim… why would so many people, especially strong men, be dying?" He asked curiously. The creature seemed to attract men more than women, but occasionally it took one, even children.

Derek shook his head. "I don't know, I don't believe in monsters." He said almost sternly.

"You dream of singing, don't you? Every night you dream of someone singing to you? A beautiful girl?" He said, finishing his coffee. "That's how it starts. You dream, then you lose your mind trying to go to it. That beast will take us all!" Derek didn't believe in gods or monsters. He found no interest in urban legends or silly stories. Harris had to be exaggerating, perhaps the waters were just treacherous, and many people fell to their deaths fishing and swimming.

"You don't believe me, that's fine." Harris set the cup down. "Come to the docks on Friday, that's when all the old fishers come together to talk about the good old days. Listen to what they have to say, you'll believe." He said with a pointed finger to Derek's muscular chest. "The devil is real and it lies in that ocean!"

Harris left shortly after that, spewing nonsense about a water demon taking lives where it found them. Derek had a hard time believing in something so childish and other worldly but as he looked out the window of his light house, he couldn't help but wonder. Harris had been strangely right. Every night since his arrival, he dreamed of singing. A beautiful boy in his dreams, soft brown hair and eyes as black as night, the whites of his eyes gone in the darkness. He dreamed of pale skin dotted with moles like the stars above. He dreamed of that boy singing to him as the waves crashed against their bodies. His dreams always ended in darkness, but even as the darkness overcame him he heard the song.

He shook his head. There was no water devil. There was no murder plot.

None of that could be real.

As days passed, he grew accustom to living in society again. While he had his solidity in the light house, he found himself going out during the day to the small town. The townspeople began to recognize him by name. It felt nice to him in a way, to feel accepted into a home once more.

But when days turned to cool, dark nights, he was reminded of the legends the people held so dear. He frequented the small library, researching the rather rich history of the town but to Derek, they were simply legends passed down from generations to the next. He was blissfully unaware of the secrets that this town held. At night, he dreamed of his lost sisters, and of the sweet song of the ocean below.

It was a chilly night, the wind making the waves rise higher than before. Derek had the offer of going to the dock on Fridays, like Harris asked and continued to ask every time they saw one another. He had no real interested in going, he wasn't very comfortable in large groups of people just yet, he needed to give himself the time to heal from his emotional wounds. When he saw no one but an old man at the dock, he traveled down the road back to his home.

He pulled his jacket over his shoulders, deciding to go out on the rocks to walk before he retired to bed. Derek knew that the rocks could be slippery and dangerous, but he felt drawn to them. He wanted to explore outside of the lighthouse and the ocean called to him.

He took in a soft breath, inhaling the salty air before letting out a gentle sigh. This felt nice, he felt as if all his troubles were melting away. The ocean was his safety after the crime that had destroyed his family, his life. He didn't often think of the woman who had taken it all from him, when he did, he got a sour taste in his mouth and his heart lurched, as if he would be sick. She had used him, tricked him and he allowed it to happen.

He shook off the memory of her, not wanting to taint a perfect night with her. In the distance on the shore miles down from him, he saw the gentle light of a fire in the breeze. He wondered who could be down there. He hadn't heard of many others living near the coast. Everyone was too fearful of the devil that they continued to speak of.

Derek stepped up upon one of the rocks, losing his footing. He let out a grunt as he tumbled to the ground, his shoulder digging into the stone edge. The wind was too harsh for him to safety explore the shore.

He moved to stand back when he heard it. It was a soft noise, almost unheard in the crashing waves and stormy night air but he heard it. The soft sound of singing in the distance. His eyes shot up in shock. He had to be imagining it. There wouldn't be anyone stupid enough to be in the water now… not unless…

He got on his knees, trying to squint to get a better look. The song seemed to move all around him, traveling from the right to the left slowly. It sounded haunting, faint, as if a ghost was singing to him in the night. He looked up as the steady beam of the lighthouse illuminated the sea and gave him a quick look at the water.

The first thing he saw was the pale skin. It was just a flash, a quick glance, but he saw it. The creature was pale as the moonlight. His eyes grew large and he maneuvered closer, trying to not slip further into the water.

"Hello?" He called gingerly, steadying himself with a hand on a rock and his other on his aching shoulder. Every time the waves crashed up, the salty water sprayed his face, making him sputter and cough.

He tried to peer into the darkness, trying to make out the figure that he saw. The beautiful song grew closer, enticing him to come into the water with it. He needed to know who was making such sounds. "Is anyone there?" He asked.

As the light moved around once more, he saw it. The beautiful creature he was so sure never existed.

The creature was pale, as he had seen before, however he had never seen someone so perfect in his entire life.

He saw a young boy before him, skin dotted with dark brown moles, his hair wet from swimming in the ocean, yet still so fluffy and soft. He wanted to reach out and touch it, to feel it under his fingertips. His lips were plump, his nose sharp and upturned but it was his eyes that caught Derek by surprise. They held no whites in them, just black, as dark as the sea. They reflected the light from the beam and in turn reflected Derek in them. He gasped, the creature moving slightly closer. Derek stared in absolute shock.

"Oh my god…" He whispered. He suddenly shook his head, moving to step away. This was unreal, this couldn't be true. There were no such things as devils or angels! There was nothing in that water. Before he could get away, he felt a soft touch on his hands, he looked down, seeing the pale creature's hands atop of his, so cold yet so comforting in a strange way. He watched as the creature moved even closer, rising up upon the rocks. When his gaze shifted lower he saw not a human rear and legs, but a grey tail, the water dripping slowly off sharp spikes ridged against the smooth texture of beautiful scales that trailed from where his legs should be all the way up his chest, trailing off onto his collar bone . His brain was screaming at him to move, to get away from this hauntingly beautiful creature but his body felt frozen in both awe and fear. In the very corner of his mind, he heard the rumble of a car engine in the near distance and the gentle touch on his hands slowly grew painful. He glanced down, seeing not soft hands, but sharp claws digging into his flesh, holding him onto the rock.

"Derek!" He heard someone cry, but he couldn't tear himself away, not now. The creature opened it's soft, plush lips, letting the soft song come from its lungs. Derek knew he was captive now, he never wanted to escape. He felt himself leaning into the touch. He felt himself falling, deeper and deeper into the creature's touch until-

The sound of the gunshot cracked him out of his hold, the creature letting out a hiss of anger and pain, shark like teeth baring from behind those lips. Before Derek could think, the creature dove back into the water, the large tail flipping out, sending it further into the depths of the ocean than Derek could imagine.

He quickly turned, seeing Harris and a young girl walking quickly towards him. The girl, a cute little brown-haired thing, ran over, holding the shot gun. "Are you alright?!" She asked, eyes large with fear.

He glanced at Harris, then down to his hands, which now had deep scars and cuts in them from the claws. "What the hell was that thing?!" He growled, demanding answers. Harris sighed, shaking his head.  
"I told you, going out here is dangerous, Hale." He warned. "I told you to stay away."

"What was that thing?!" He demanded.

"That was the devil."

Derek sat in the bar, trembling lightly. Harris had drug him there after his encounter saying he needed a drink to calm his nerves when in reality Derek just wanted to go back to his lighthouse and go back to sleep, for this all had to be some crazy dream. Harris' granddaughter, a spunky young girl named Malia, watched him from across the table. "You need to try to calm down." She said, drumming her nails against the table annoyingly.

"I'm not going to fucking relax until I get some answers." He growled. "What was that thing? What was it really?" She sighed, looking down at the drink between her legs. She wished she knew the full answer, she wished she could tell him some simplistic answer that would make more sense than what the truth was. She shook her head.  
"It's been there since before any of us." She said, the bar was quiet, just a few people still hanging about, the soft crackle of a fire keeping them warm on a cool fall night. The soft sounds of the bartender cleaning up where the only real company their conversation had. "Stories have been passed down for years, we've all heard them at some point or another, there used to be a bunch of them in that ocean. They would drown sailors." She explained quietly. "They change to look like what attracts the person, and then their song lures them in."

"So, what exactly are they?" He asked again, growling almost at her inability to truly answer his question completely.

There was the sound of a chair moving across the wooden floor behind him, and then the dull thud off footsteps until a man stood behind them, wearing a dark raincoat, and a large hat to keep the wind and rain from his eyes. "The Greek's call it a siren." He said. Derek glanced up, furrowing his brow.

"A what?" He asked, holding the glass of rum in his hand.

"A siren." Malia said softly. The man nodded and pulled the chair from under the table to sit, keeping his head down.

"The Greeks spoke of a creature, something that lives in the sea. Half woman and half fish. There was a story hundreds of years ago about a band of pirates." He explained, the two younger watching him carefully. "Not a one survived, a group of those creatures lured them to their watery graves. They sing to you, enchant you." He said softly, Derek cocked his head. He had not seen a woman, but the most beautiful boy he had ever laid eyes on.

"You said a woman." He asked curiously. "Are there any male?" The fisher smirked, nodding.  
"You wouldn't be the first to see one I suppose, they are said to change to suit what you like."

Derek shook his head, leaning back in his chair. This all seemed like pure insanity. He sighed as he heard a train rumbling away from the station in the distance. "This is crazy." He whispered. "There are no such things as sirens. It's just a myth!" He argued, Malia placed her hand on his gently, watching him.  
"Then where did you get those wounds, Derek?" She asked softly. "You didn't imagine it, and I know I didn't shoot at nothing." He moved to look up at her, how did she know when to come, anyway? She sighed and smiled.  
"My grandfather was worried about you when you didn't come into town like usual, he wanted to make sure you were alright out here by yourself during a storm. It's a good thing we did show up, I don't want you to be taken too." There was a soft glint in her beautiful eyes. He smiled. She was a kind girl rather pretty too.

He downed the remainder of his drink, pulling away. "I just can't bring myself to believe any of this." He said, standing up. Malia frowned, staring at him.  
"Where are you going?" She asked,  
"Home. It's late." He said, "And I can't think about this right now." He slipped some cash on the bar counter and left, shaking his head. Myths and legends were just that to him, nothing more, just stories to be told to children.

He looked up to the stormy sky, he half expected to hear the song he had grown so used to hearing every night in the wind. He couldn't explain that away, nor did he know if he wanted to try to. It had become his comfort, his joy to hear. He fell asleep to it, dreamed of it, dreamed of a pale boy in the moonlight.

Instead of a song, he swore he heard gentle cries. The sound echoed as if it moved in the wind. It came from all around him and yet he knew where it was coming from. He furrowed his brow, walking farther from the bar than he intended, closer to the ocean. He no longer cared to go back to his home, but he wanted to see for himself. The closer he drew, the louder the soft sobs got. They sounded like the cries of a wounded child. He didn't want to believe that it could be the work of the creature that Malia Tate had shot.

He wouldn't believe it but that night, he dreamed of a boy laying on the ocean floor, surrounded by pools of crimson blood. He could hear the lament of his wounds.

 _He felt the need to reach forward, to show some ounce of kindness to the beauty before him. He tried to walk forward, but his feet would not move as he wanted. He could hear the lament of the creature before him and instead of fear, he felt the sorrow. This creature was alone, so very alone. He let out a small whine, feeling heartbroken for the boy in front of him._

 _The boy seemed to hear him, his gaze snapping up and instead of eyes as black as night, they were a soft brown, a honey hazel color. His lips parted, moving as if trying to speak but no words came forth. Derek tried to listen, straining his ears just to hear the words of the creature called a siren. He needed to hear what the boy was trying to say._

 _It felt like the water was trying to pull away, trying to take him from the tempting grasp of the siren. Derek forced himself to get closer for only a moment before he heard the soft words._

' _Mieczyslaw'_

Derek felt sick as days passed, that single word uttered from the dream's lips haunting him. He found himself creating a little space for himself in the tiny community but they were all in a buzz, talking in hushed whispers whenever he came around. He was now known as the man who saw the siren and lived. He didn't know if he liked the attention or not.

He had discovered the local library, his mind filled with nothing but the desire to learn about the creature the towns people were so obsessed over.

He looked in every text he could find from every culture available only to begin to see a pattern in history. Every culture he laid eyes upon had a creature like the siren. From the Odyssey in the Greek text to even Polish Vila, a water spirit of maidens. He too became slightly obsessed.

Malia became something of an ally to him, she helped in his research and during his lonely nights, she kept him company. He knew she wanted to know him better, to know his reasons for being so quiet, jaded, but he could not yet tell her. His wounds were far too fresh.

It was one foggy night, perhaps two weeks from the night at the pub, when he sat on her couch in her tiny little home, a cup of hot coffee in hand. She smiled at him, wondering what could be going on inside of his mind.

"You can trust me, you know?" She said.

"I know." He smiled. He did like her, she was not a replacement for the sisters he lost in the fire, but she was slowly becoming like family to him. He cared for her in that way and that way alone. She smiled slightly, but hers was sadder than he expected.

"You'll go mad thinking about it, you know?" She mused, sipping at her tea. She watched him, wanting to make sure he wasn't going to let himself be lured into death by this creature she had grown up with. All her life she had heard the stories, but unlike anyone in any other town in any other place, she had been given warnings. She was never to go near the ocean on her own for the creature would suck her in with its song.

"I'm already mad." He laughed shakily, staring at the ground, unable to meet her eyes. "I just can't stop. There has so be logic to this. There can't actually be a mermaid thing out there, not here." She rolled her eyes, moving to sit on her knees.  
"You saw it yourself Derek. What else could that have been?" She could see him growing agitated by this, he was unable to figure out a true, logical explanation for what he had seen, what had wounded his hands. He finally groaned and ran a hand over his tired face and through his inky hair. He sat up straighter, placing his cup on the table by his feet.  
"And what if there is something out there, Malia?" he asked. "Why? Why is it here of all places? This isn't Greece, or Poland, or Russia. What could it possibly want? Why didn't it kill me? I walk near the shore almost every night hoping to just… see it again, to see if there really is something out there. Why can't I hear it anymore?"

Malia had to think for a moment. She honestly had no clue. This wasn't some far off distant land with rich mythology, but this creature had lived on these shores before even her grandfather was alive. She had only ever heard of one, though it changed its face, it always had the same general features. She had seen hazy photographs taken by the few tourists who came to see if the legend was true, she had seen thousands of paintings in every person's home here but she had only seen one of the true creatures.

"I think…" She said, sitting up as well, "I think it's lonely." She finally said. Derek met her gaze with a confused brow. She shook her head. "The mythology comes from Greece, but almost every culture has some manor of creature just the same as this. If there are so many out there, or at least once was, why does this one stay here? She shrugged. "I think it is lonely, and I think you are too."

Derek bit his lip, shifting his eyes down to the coffee table where their two cups rested. "Lonely?" he asked.  
"You live all alone in that lighthouse, you never speak about family. You go out every night to look for something you don't even know if you believe in." She said gently, not wanting to upset the man. "Derek, you think you're alone. You push everyone away… I think you're lonely, and you think that finding this siren may fill that void."

Derek had to admit that her logic made slightly more sense than he would have thought. He was lonely. He had lost everything he held dear in just a matter of moments. He liked Malia, she was sweet, but she wasn't Laura or Cora. She wasn't his mother or father, who all laid in ashes in a forest back in California. Perhaps he did think finding this animal would help ease his burden slightly. She took his hand. "But you're not alone. You have me." She said sternly, "Please just let me in." She begged.

He pulled away slightly. "Believe me, you're more in than anyone has gotten in a long time." He didn't want to have to pull away from her, as much as he wanted to trust another person, he couldn't bring himself to do so in her. She wanted him to confide in her, like he would have done with his sisters but it hurt too much to bring up. "Malia, I can't…"

She sat up, nodding with a sad little sigh. "I understand." She said. "When you're ready to talk, I'll be here." She knew he wouldn't be for some time though, she didn't want a romantic relationship with him, he was an attractive man but she just had no interest. She wanted him to know he had a friend in her though. He took a final sip of the cup of tea she had given him and stretched. She had offered for him to stay the night in her small little home but he felt like he couldn't intrude on her kindness more than he already had. He smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "I'll be fine, Malia." He said, and she nodded.

She walked with him to the door before she opened it and furrowed her brow. She lived just by the center of the town and while there were usually one or two people wondering about at strange hours, when she opened the door she saw a large group of men standing there, huddled and whispering. Derek saw her expression, turning over to look at where her eyes landed. "What's going on?" She asked softly. Derek shrugged and before he could leave, she grabbed his arm, commanding him to stay before grabbing her shaw from her small coat rack, walking out with him into the cool night air.

A group of perhaps ten men were huddled there together, talking in hushed whispers and growls. A man by the name of John looked over, seeing Malia and Derek, he nodded his head in acknowledgement, but turned away, lightly pressing against Harris' arm. He saw his granddaughter and sighed. "Malia go back inside." He almost begged  
"What's going on?" She asked curiously, watching them all. He shook his head, trying to usher her back to the house. "What happened?" She asked again. Derek put a hand on the small of her back, trying to calm the girl.

"Mr. Tate, what happened?" Derek asked Harris, watching him with stormy eyes. Harris shook his head.  
"Another body washed up on the shore about a mile down the stream." He said softly, the other men staring at him.  
"Another?" Derek rose a brow. Michael Stuart nodded.  
"Third one in a month." He growled. While no one said who the culprit was, they all seemed to have a silent agreement.

"Something has to be done." Harris said, looking at his beautiful granddaughter. "Before the devil takes us all to our watery graves."

"One man dead, two more gone missing." An older woman said. "Will the creature lure us all? Do we have no hope! What about the children?" She pleaded. Derek shook his head, this was unbelievable, but there was a body to prove the claims of a siren. The body of the man had flesh missing, as if it had been devoured. The body lay in a wheelbarrow, they were going to bury him in the night so no one would be alarmed. He walked over, removing the sheet from it and wrinkling his nose in disgust and sadness. The poor man had never stood a chance.

Jim's wife, a small woman named Carol, walked over beside Derek, watching him from the corner of her eye. She pulled a small gold coin from her purse, placing it on the deceased's eye. He rose a curious brow but she simply shook her head, pressing a finger to her lips. He nodded, the people of this town were strange, their ways different than his own. She reached into her little purse once more, pulling a black bound book, no longer than a scribble book and handed it to him. He furrowed his brow but once again she didn't speak, only pushing it into his hand. He took the leather-bound notebook and nodded.

"We have to do something." Came the small whisper from the back. "Before it kills us all."  
\- -

Derek shut the door behind him, leaning on the aged wood with a tired groan. It seemed no matter how much he tried, he would never get true peace. He ran a hand over his face and pulled his boots off, letting them fall where they may. He dropped the book the woman had given him on the table before he begrudgingly walked up the long stairs to his bedroom facing the sea. He took a soft breath as he sat, letting the darkness envelope him entirely. The only light to be seen came from the moon and the beacon trailing the waters below.

He let his eyes close, letting his body slowly relax before a much-needed sleep took over his mind and he fell into the darkness.

 _He could have sworn he had been in this place before, he had known the long hallways, the sounds of footsteps running above him. He was young then, just a boy of fifteen, how he longed to be able to return to such days. The days of a gentle sun, a mother's warm embrace before the flames of betrayal took that from him._

 _He walked the hall, fear slowly building in his belly. He listened as the footsteps slowed, then stopped. He turned, looking for the person they belonged to but found no one. He felt a gentle touch on his cheek, trailing his jaw, but where the gentle touch went, sharp nails followed, digging into his skin._

" _Kate?" He asked shakily, hearing the shrill sound of her laughter as it echoed around him. Before he could speak, he felt the hall begin to heat up, sweat dripping down his throat like the blood she shed. He could hear the screams around him, shrieks of pain and desperation to be let free. "N-no!" He begged, not knowing who exactly he was begging. He turned quickly, heard the screams approach until he was face to face with the burning vision of his elder sister on her knees, her hand reaching out to him._

" _Derek!" She had screamed, begging to be saved or to die. "Derek!"_

" _Save us!"_

He jolted awake, panting harshly. He could feel the sweat all over his body, chills running through him. He gripped the sheets, looking around him frantically to see if she was here, the monster of a woman who took his family from him. When he found no one, he let his head fall into his hands, a small sob wracking through his body. He didn't often dream of the nightmare he had endured. When he did however he felt as if his entire body had been thrown into a bath of ice and electrocuted all at one.

He swung his feet over onto the cold wooden floor, taking in small, short breaths until he was sure that he wasn't dying. It was only then that he saw the flicker of flames out of the corner of his eye. He quickly glanced over to see a small fire going in the fireplace, keeping the room warm in the cool night. The lighthouse didn't have heating or air conditioning yet so he froze during the night. He furrowed his brow as he walked over, he didn't recall ever lighting the fire nor did he think he would. When Malia came to his home, she always left a note letting him know why she was there and what she had done if she changed anything.

He knelt down by the fire, feeling the warmth through his veins. What he did notice however was drops of water on the floor. He let his finer trail through the liquid and brought it to his lips.

It was salt water.

He leaned back on his haunches, watching the flames dance and for the first time in a very long time, he felt as if he was safe from the lonely night. Someone was watching over him.

His gaze trailed over to the window, wondering who it could have been. He didn't feel unease, but comfort. In the distance, he could hear the waves crashing as they always did, and the soft song he had grown to love. He leaned against the window, watching the sea in the night and sighed. He felt the burning need deep within his heart. He had to go.

Derek pulled the door open to the elements outside, the salty breeze hitting him and making him slightly chilled but he had to see. He walked down the rocky path near the water's edge, finding the small fisher's boat that he had procured recently for a trip such as this. He knew in the back of his mind that this was a foolish idea, but he had the sudden urge to know.

He pushed the boat out, climbing into it and taking an oar in hand. He had read that the lure of a siren was strong, that he should try to resist but something in his heart told him that he was in no danger.

He pushed off the rock, letting the waves sway him deeper into the water that he thought was safe.

That was there he would wait.

The wait was long, tedious at points to keep the boat upright but he knew that his wait would not last forever. He was rewarded almost two hours later when he saw the familiar head slowly rise from the water under the moonlight. He heard the soft song rise with it, and a small smile crossed his lips.

The siren had come for him.

He moved forward to the edge of the boat, watching as the creature slowly swam forward, shy, as if scared. Last, they met the creature had been shot at after all. As it approached, Derek could faintly make out the details on his pale skin, his soft eyes and wet, yet perfect hair. A siren was said to be able to change its shape to fit the victim's desire. Derek didn't realize he had ever desired men… though perhaps the siren was teaching him new.

As it got even closer Derek saw soft moles dotting his skin like the constellations in the sky and he smiled and Derek felt safe.

The boy didn't bring himself up onto the boat, but rather stayed in the water, keeping himself safe. Derek sighed and moved as far as he could towards it, seeing it flinch and move back. There was a bullet wound in its shoulder.  
Derek reached his hand out but the creature hissed, swimming about a foot back. "It's alright." He whispered, smiling kindly. "I won't hurt you little one." He said gently. The creature narrowed his eyes, but let the waves carry him closer, watching Derek carefully. "I won't harm you." He said once more, reaching out for the siren to touch.

He gingerly reached out, letting their hands touch just a moment. "There was a fire started in my room when I woke." Derek said, "Did you start it? To keep me warm while I slept." Soft brown eyes flickered away for a moment before the creature gave a small nod. "You did it to keep me warm, you protected me." Derek smiled, "Thank you." He wondered why the beautiful song stopped, why this creature didn't drag him down to his watery grave. He did wonder how the siren was able to start the fire in the first place. A siren could shift their shape, and for a very small period at times, a siren could have human legs. It was more a curse than a gift. They were teased with a world of humans to be a part of before their need for the water pulled them away.

He also noticed that the creature hadn't uttered a word. "Can you speak?" He asked quietly. The creature shook his head and for a moment Derek felt true pity for him. Perhaps Malia was right, he too was alone. "It's alright." Derek smiled, "You don't have to."

For a moment there was silence, but Derek leaned forward, watching the beauty. "Why did you spare my life, little one? If you started the fire, surly you could have killed me." The boy shook his head, looking to the light house before he reached up, as if begging for the light. Derek was momentarily confused before he felt a small hand brush and press to his chest and he realized. Malia was right.

"Do you have a family?" He asked, and the creature shook his head, casting his gaze towards the water. Derek sighed. "You are alone… that is why you spared me, you don't want to be alone." He whispered. He finally understood. The siren boy nodded and Derek frowned. They were both creatures alone in this world.

He gave the boy a sympathetic smile, watching him. "I am too." He said. "But… we don't have to be alone." The boy cocked his head, confused. "We can keep each other company. Does that sound nice?"

He saw the boy's eyes light up and he nodded. Derek's heart swelled up and for once he felt happy. Since the death of Laura and Cora, his parents, his family… he felt happy.

"Then together, we won't be alone."

As days past, each night he found himself going to the water. Some days he went with a book to read to the siren, some days with nothing. He found himself drawn to the boy in the water, every day he would arrive the boy seemed to grow happier, a smile on his lips as he swam closer and every night when he fell asleep he would wake with a warm fire to welcome him. He knew the siren posed no threat to him, but was protecting him.

Derek feared for the boy however, the townspeople were growing fearful. The more Derek went to the water people talked that he was enchanted by the beast, under a spell of some sort. Derek would laugh off their worry. Malia was worried the most for him. She would find him in the town, demanding to know why he went to the water's edge every night. His response was that he felt safe, and only that. She feared for him.

One night when he went to the edge of the water, he was greeted by the sight of his boat, ready for him to row to a small spot behind the rocks where he could meet the small siren. He had a book in his sidebag and a small seashell in his pocket. He smiled, ready to see the creature again. The creature he so fondly now called Stiles. He didn't know where the name came from, or why it sounded so perfect for the lovely little boy but Derek couldn't help the way it rolled so perfectly from his lips.

He rowed out into the night, taking in the silence matched with the waves. A battle between the dark quiet of night and the crashing water of the sea. He didn't know when this place became his refuge, or when this boy became his heart, but all he knew was that this boy he could call his home.

He had a lantern he had found from the attic of the lighthouse and had placed a candle in it, the flames flickering off the moonlit boat. He had found the blaring light of a flash light didn't suit his nightly rides any longer, the false light distracted from the natural beauty of the land and sea.

Derek took a soft breath as he let his oar stop, the waves taking control of his vessel for the time being. This was where he would wait for the song he had come to expect during their nightly meets.

He sat there, trying to strain his ears to listen, his heart begging for the sound but he heard nothing. He furrowed his brow, he could hear nothing. For a moment he felt confused, then curious. Perhaps the creature wanted nothing more to do with him, perhaps he was just a mild entertainment until another meal came along. He felt dirty, thinking such horrible things about the beauty, perhaps Harris' words were getting to him more than he originally believed.

He leaned over the side of the boat, peering into the depths of the ocean before he let out a small sigh and glanced back up. He watched the moonlight before he realized he could faintly see the shape of the creature in the distance, facing away from him.

He sat up straight, reaching to grab his oar to move closer, but not before he brushed past the gun attached to his side. Malia begged him to keep it on his person, he had forgotten it had been placed haphazardly in his pack. He flinched when he touched the cool iron, his attention shifting back to the beauty in the water.

He let the water move him closer, the steady rocking of the tide bringing him closer to the creature, calming him. Once he managed to get close enough without spooking the boy he let himself smile.

"The moon is beautiful." He whispered, watching as the creature did not even flinch as he spoke. He smiled slightly but realized soon it was because the boy was paying no mind to him. He was watching the moon with a look of sadness, longing, on his lovely face. "Little one?" He asked gently.

The boy took a pale hand from the water, reaching for the moon, reaching to grasp something he never could. Derek rose a brow before he sighed. "What are you reaching for, little one?" He asked softly, holding his own hand out for the boy. Stiles, the siren, glanced over, his eyes large and sad. Derek had noticed that since they began their meetings in secret, the siren's eyes no longer held just darkness but a rich chocolate color. He found the color to be perfection in his eyes.

He gave the boy a smile as he took Derek's hand, the smooth, cold skin contrasting his own heated flesh.

The siren moved closer to him, reaching up to pull himself onto Derek's boat. He watched the man, the flames from the lantern flickering off of his handsome face. The siren reached up, pressing his palm to Derek's cheek sweetly and the man smiled, covering Stiles' hand with his own larger one.

"What do you reach for?" He asked. "When you are scared, or lonely? You look to the moon, but what do you reach for?" He begged to know.

Stiles let his hand fall from Derek's cheek to his chest, finding home not on Derek's beating heart, but the chest pocket that rest atop of it, holding the small photo he always kept on his body. It was a torn, dirtied photo but it mattered none the less to him. It was a photo of himself, his two beautiful sisters and his mother. It was the day his sister Cora was born. The photo had been taken in the delivery room.

This was the only thing to survive the fire that killed them all. He left himself take in a sharp breath and cocked his head. "I don't understand, little one. My family photo?" He asked softly. The siren shook his head before patting the place above his own heart and Derek slowly understood.

"Your family?" he asked, the siren nodded. He looked back to the moon and Derek realized now what Stiles had been reaching for. "What happened to them?" He questioned.

He waited for what seemed to be an eternity for an answer he didn't believe would come. The siren had not spoken to him before.

The boy turned to stare at him with large, beautiful tear-filled eyes.

" _I am not a monster."_ He whispered. " _Nor was my mother."_

It was a sunny morning when he saw Malia again. It felt like it had been at least a week since he had seen her last, however he knew that the girl was busy and his mind was rather preoccupied. He had left the safety of his lighthouse, going out into the town to enjoy the day. He knew he would not see the siren this day. The creature stayed far from the light of the sun.

He laid in the grass by a community park, the small black book the woman had given him by his side but it remained untouched. He had decided that this day he would forget about the life he knew in the nighttime and just enjoy the warmth of the sun.

He didn't hear when she sat down, but his right eye did peak open when he heard her shuffle to take her shoes off.

"Finally, you decided to get out of that tower." She laughed as she laid down beside him, she wore a baggy floral print dress with a pair of sandals and he laughed.

"Good to see you too, Flower Child." He smirked. She did look the part. Her fashion sense seemed to be ahead of the time, but it was 1963, and he decided she had a right to look the part of the hippies he would see on the side of the road.

"It's groovy my man." She smirked. She never spoke like that. She laid down beside him, putting her arms behind her head and letting out a sigh. "I was beginning to think the sun would never come back." She said happily. "Finally, it's been too long." He had to agree with that. As much as the stormy nights calmed him down it was nice to hear the townspeople not muddled by the sound of heavy rain fall. He could hear seagulls, hear children at play on the sandy area of the beach.

"I didn't know anyone would let their kids down by the water." He pointed out absentmindedly.

"It's the sun, Derek. Everyone here knows that thing won't come out in the sun. Or the day usually… it's a good day for a swim and I don't think that thing will ruin it. Not today at least." She shrugged. "Just try to not think about it." She said calmly. He had to hold back a laugh, not think about the siren? If it was as easy as she said he would still have trouble.

Malia sat up beside him, a curious grin on her lips. "What's the book? Your diary?" She laughed and made an effort to grab it. He smacked her hand away gently.

"Remember the night Michael died? When I went to your house? Well that woman, Carol, just handed it to me." He said. "I haven't read it yet, but I've been meaning to at least see what was in it. She seemed pretty big on me having the damn thing." Malia laid back down on her stomach so she could at least meet his eye.

"What do you think is in it?" She asked.

"I'll give you three guesses." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"You are obsessed with that siren I swear!" She jumped up, sitting on her knees and grabbing his hand. "Derek. I love you. You're like a brother to me at this point but you're killing yourself." She said and flicked him when he tried to pull away. "I'm serious. Thinking about it all the time will drive you crazy."

He sat up as she pulled him, watching her with a curious and slightly amused eye. "It's all anyone here ever really talks about Mal." He pointed out. She sighed and tucked a strand of hair away from her face behind her ear. She rolled her eyes.

"It's all you ever think about." Derek sighed and leaned back in the cool grass. The smell hit his nostrils and he shook his head.

"It's all I ever see. It's all anyone here seems to want to talk about." He mused. "There isn't much else here to do." She thought a moment before her eyes got large and she smirked.

"Come with me tonight to the fair!" She begged. The county fair was coming into town and he had promised he would go at some point. He sighed, glancing over at her. She was such a sweet girl he hated to say no to her.

"Malia…" He trailed off and she shook her head, placing a hand over his lips to stop him from speaking further.

"You need to get away from the lighthouse for a while. You need to get away from that thing." Derek ignored the burning feeling of anger deep within his gut when she called the boy a thing. It wasn't a thing, it was the most beautiful boy he had ever laid eyes upon.

Malia rolled her eyes, but she truly hoped he would let the matter go.

He lifted the leather-bound book up and sighed. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, he had a stern feeling that if he looked in this book, he would find the answers he sought after. He decided perhaps Malia was right, he was getting too far into the world of the supernatural. He didn't want to lose himself in honey colored eyes.

He had feeling that he already had lost himself.

 **I would have just continued to write this but I was running out of ideas, and needed to take a break. Also it was over seventeen pages long.**

 **Anyway! I hope that you all enjoyed this story so far, this will continue, but will have a sad ending. Please don't forget to leave a review for me! They make writing this so much more worth it knowing people's thoughts and tell me what could be changed!  
Until Next Time!  
~Myth~**


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